The Langpih imbroglio threatens to take a dangerous turn. Civil society has decided to take the issue out of the hands of the state. The powerful yet non-violent tool propounded by Gandhi – Satyagraha is being adopted. Some politicians have of course joined issues with an eye on elections. The border problem of Meghalaya was inherited along with the State. Most of the leaders who celebrated the birth of Meghalaya in 1972 are no longer with us. Only HS Lyngdoh lives to tell his story but he does not tell the real story. Why were the borders not clearly demarcated before the demand for a separate state was put forward? Did the leaders sit and thrash out the issue of our boundaries? Or did they simply arouse rabble with the crowd who made many sacrifices and spent their time at public rallies? Naturally the hoi-polloi did not have the wisdom or foresight to talk about the most important thing – Meghalaya’s boundaries. I wonder if those who led the Hill State movement were themselves aware about the importance of securing the borders. If they did the present sufferings could have been avoided.
Former Chief Minister BB Lyngdoh repeatedly spoke about Meghalaya being a small, manageable State. His favourite quote was from economist EF Schumacher’s book “Small is beautiful.” We wonder if the only statesman Meghalaya ever produced had foreseen that Meghalaya would be losing out much of its territory to a smarter big brother – Assam, which, in any case, assented to statehood for Meghalaya begrudgingly.
Meghalaya’s problem is its undeveloped peripheries. Even Baghmara, headquarter of South Garo Hills district remains a forgotten outpost. Langpih and other border areas have been sorely neglected. Those who live and struggle in these forgotten frontiers often have no time to pursue political issues such as boundaries and fences. They are engrossed in eking out a living for themselves. But over the years these forgotten frontiers have developed their own stakes in the land that they believe is handed down to them from their ancestors. A fresh reading of history has helped them develop a sense of pride in upholding their rights over their territories. But apart from altruism the people living in the borders also know the value of land in an era where agricultural land is at a premium and when agriculture is beginning to yield better profits under contract farming systems. Hence their assertion of rights over Langpih! The Assam administration has been high-handed and lack diplomacy. Their propensity to use violence as a method of suppression is deplorable. This is the time for statesmanship from both chief ministers. Mukul Sangma and Tarun Gogoi have to sit and settle matters once and for all. The Chief Secretary level talks are a non-starter.